Railway car



\ Aug. 21, 1951 o. A. KUHLER ET AL 2,564,909

RAILWAY CAR Allg, 21, 1951 o. A. KUHLER ET AL. 2,564,909

RAILWAY CAR Filed April 1l, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W//l/am Bur-eff MKTRNEY Aug' 213 1951 o. A. KUHLER ET AL 2,564,909

RAILWAY CAR Filed April ll, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TORS /3 l WUI/'am ff Buma# BY PM ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 21, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RAILWAY CAR Otto A. Kuhler, Blauvelt, N. Y., and William E. Burnett, Montclair, N. J., assignors to American Car and Foundry Company, .New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 11, 1947, Serial N0. 740,743

(Cl. 10S-340) 1.3 Claims. .l

This invention relates to railway cars and more particularly to .railway `sleepin-g cars.

The trend in sleeping car design is .to provide fully enclosed rooms or compartments `for the passengers instead of .curtained upper and lower berths. A single deck sleeping car .divided into fully enclosed compartments will accommodate fewer passengers than cars .with curtained upper and lower berths, so it has been necessary to establish a higher passenger `fare rate. in order to maintain the pay load value of such a car. An object of the `present invention is .to provide a plural deck sleeping car for accommodating a maximum number of passengers in private wcorn'- partments .whereby .the individual passenger fare rate .can .be reduced to a minimum.

.Another object of the invention is to provide a sleeping car within allowable dimensions that will accommodate a maximum .number of passengers. I

Another object of the invention `is to providea plural deck sleeping car wherein a maximum number of passengers may beacoommodated and with adequatestorage space for equipment and accessories.

A further object ofthe inventionis to .provide a sleeping car with .one deck having rooms :on each side of a rcenter' aisle substantially the full length thereof and with a lower deck vhaving a center aisle withrooms on both sides thereof substantially the car length between the wheel trucks.

Another object of the invention .is vto provide .a vdouble deck sleeping car with the lower deck havingdead ends and connected by interior steps with the upper deck at one side and midwayl `of the car.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art from Va .study of the following ldescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sleeping .car -incorporating the invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view 4of the car taken on line 2-2 `of Figure 3.

yFigure 3 is a vertical sectional View of the `car taken on line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the car takenon line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the car taken on line 5-15 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the car taken on line 6-6 yof Figure 3.

Referring now tothe drawings by :characters .of zreference, the sleeping car indicated generally vcenter aisle 2 I by numeral I0 is mounted upon a pair of wheel trucks l I located one near each end thereof. The car flooring is arranged in three levels, the end 4ioorings I2 being arranged to overlie the trucks. A lower flooring I3 extends horizontally between the trucks 'and in a plane slightly above the bearing plane of the truck wheels l. This lower nooring is depressed from the end floorings and is connected therewith by upstanding floor portions I5. Extending in a horizontal plane above the lower fiooring and overlying a major portion of the end iloorings is an upper flooring :I-i. The car is provided with a conventional roof structure 'It' and side walls I8 and with transverse walls or bulkheads 96 adjacent the extreme ends of the end floorings I2.

Bulkheads or transverse walls I9 are arranged at the ends of the lower flooring I3. A pair of spaced panels 2@ extend centrally and longitudinally of the lower flooring between the bulkheads and are suitably attached to the `lower and upper flooring I3 and I6 and provide therebetween a The longitudinally extending Spaces between the sides of the car and the aisle :panels of ythe lower flooring is divided into rooms,

.preferably of similar length, -by transversely exftending panels 22.

Centrally located spaced panels 23 extendiengitudinally above the upper ooring |16 providing a center 4aisle 32 the full length thereof. These upper panels 23 are preferably in alignment vertically with the lower panels 20. The longitudi- .nallyextending spaces between the upperpanels and the car side Walls I8 and .bulkheads 96 are divided by transversely extending panels 24 arranged preferably substantially the Asaine distance apart. Such transverse panels are suitably secured tothe roof, the upper flooring, the car outer side wallsand the panels 2,3 to provide a series ofcompartments or rooms along each side of the upper aisle. Spaced -panels l2.5, located centrally of the car, extend longitudinally be- .tween the end transverse panels of the upper .panel .2l that extendsacross lthe car below the roof forming end storage chambers 123. These chambers are accessible from the aisle through openings inthe ceiling panel closed vbydoors 1,4.

Chambersne extend across (the car ,belowzthe `ends of theupper flooring and Yare `closed at one end by bulkheads I9. Such chambers are adapted to receive car equipment, such as water tanks, brake equipmentJ and generators. The outer ends of these chambers 30 are enclosed by steps 3l that lead from the ends of the upper center aisle to the center aisle of the end floorings, such steps being removable to provide access to the chambers. The bulkheads I9 have openings closed by aisle doors 49 providing access to chambers 30. It will be seen that in order to pass from one end of the car to the other a passenger must travel over the center` aisle of the end floorings, the steps 3l and the center aisle of the upper flooring.

The bulkheads I9 provide dead ends for the lower deck and passenger access can be had to the lower deck only by means of a stairway between the upper and lower aisles, located preferably midway of the car. An upper room 34 and the room 35 therebelow are utilized to accommodate the stairway and the flooring l@ is formed with an opening for this purpose. The stairway comprises a top ight of steps 3Q leading down from the upper aisle toward the side of the car, a platform 40 at the base of such steps in a corner of room 35 and a lower flight of steps 4|, next to the car side wall leading from the platform to flooring I3. The adjacent transverse panel is formed with an archway 45 open to a hallway 42 formed by partition wall 43 in the room 44 adjacent room 35. The lower aisle panel adjacent the hallway is formed with an archway 44. An archway 46 in the upper aisle panel is open to room 34 and steps 39. Transverse panel 41 extends along the inner side of steps 39 in room 35 to the roof in room 35 and longitudinal panel 48 extends along the inner side of steps 4l to the roof in room 34. Panel 48 extends longitudinally from panel 41 to the transverse panels 22 and 24 next to the hallway.

Room 44 has been shortened to form the hallway 42 and may be used for storage of equipment such as batteries. Chamber D in room 34 is formed by panels 41, 48 and 24 and the aisle panel and provides space for housing electric switches employed in the car equipment. Access to chamber 50` is had through an opening in the aisle panel that is closed by doors 5 l. A storage chamber is formed in room 35 below and beside the stairways and platform and an opening in the aisle panel for room 35 providing access to such chamber is closed by door 54.

Except for rooms 34, 35, and 44 and end rooms 39 and 54, the rooms are similar and accommodate passengers in privacy. They are equipped with a bed 55, seats 56 and 51, closets 53 and suitable toilet equipment (not shown). The aisle panels for the private rooms each have a door opening 58 and sliding doors 59 for the openings. The aisle panel for luggage storage room 39 has an archway 58 therein and the room is equipped with suitable shelves 1. The private room across from the luggage room is for the porter and both this room and the luggage room are slightly shorter than the other rooms.

Room 54 is divided into three sections by transverse panels 60 and 6l, the upper part of end section 62 adjacent the porters room providing a storage chamber for tables, linen etc., and the lower part forming a well 92 to receive the back 90 of chair 9| in the porters room when moved to horizontal position to form a bed. The other end section 63 provides a toilet room. The intermediate section may contain a water cooler 65 and provides access to the toilet room door 66. Sliding doors are arranged to open or close open-` ings in bulkheads 96 at the ends of the aisles adjacent the vestibules on the end portion of the end decks.

The rear transverse panel 24 for the porters room has opening 31 therein closed by doors B8 through which the porter can have access from his room to the upper chamber in storage section 62. The aisle panel for room space 54 is formed with an archway 69 and panel 6! has an opening closed by door 1l for access to the chamber 28 above ceiling 21. Panel 24 at one end of the luggage room has an opening to the chamber 28 above ceiling 21 and is closed by door 12 accessible from the adjacent room.

It will be seen that the herein described car provides a maximum of private rooms within allowable railroad standard dimensions between the bulkheads on the lower and end iloorings. The chambers adequately provide for storage oi various accessories and light equipment, heavy equipment such as generators, tanks for the brakes, air conditioning equipment and water storage.

The invention may be modified in various respects as will occur to those skilled in the art and the exclusive use of all modications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway sleeping car carrying berths, a wheel truck near each end thereof, end oorings overlying the trucks, a lower ooring extending intermediate the trucks and in a horizontal plane above the lower flooring, an upper flooring extending longitudinally of the car above the end fioorings and overlying a portion thereof and the lower flooring, said upper flooring providing a ceiling above the lower flooring, said oorings each having center aisles extending substantially the full length thereof and rooms along the full length of each side of said aisles, the rooms on the upper and lower floorings containing berths and of a length slightly greater than the length of the berths therein, the upper flooring having an opening therein in one room, a stairway leading from a lower room to the upper room floor opening, said stairway forming the sole means for occupants entering and leaving the lower flooring, and steps between the end of the upper aisle and the end flooring aisles,

2. In a railway sleeping car carrying berths, a wheel truck near each end thereof, end floorings overlying the trucks, a lower flooring dependent from the end floorings extending intermediate the trucks in a horizontal plane slightly above the bearing plane of the truck wheels, an upper flooring extending longitudinally of the car in a horizontal plane above the end floorings and overlapping a portion thereof, said upper flooring forming a ceiling above the lower flooring, a roof, side walls between the roof and the floorings, spaced aisle panels extending substantially throughout the length of the oorings, transverse walls dividing the entire length of the spaces between the aisle panels and the outer walls into rooms of similar length, the rooms on the upper and lower floorings containing berths and of a length slightly greater than the length of the berths therein, the upper flooring in one of the rooms having an opening therein, a stairway between the opening and the iloor below and steps between the ends of the aisles of the upper iiooring and the aisles of the end floorings.

3. In a railway sleeping car carrying berths, a

wheel truck near each end thereof, end floorings overlying the trucks, a lower flooring dependent from the end floorings and extending intermediate the trucks in a plane below the tops of the truck wheels, an upper iiooring extending longitudinally above the lower ooring and portions of the end floorings, a roof, side walls between the roof and the iioorings, spaced panels extending centrally substantially throughout the length of the oorings forming center aisles and side spaces, transverse walls dividing the entire length of the spaces between the aisle panels and the car side walls into rooms, the rooms on the upper and lower floorings containing berths and of a length slightly greater than the length of the berths therein, a stairway in one of the upper rooms leading away from the center aisle and continuing along the car side wall in spaced relation from the room aisle panel to the adjacent room therebelow, archways in the aisle panels of the rooms in which the stairway terminates, panels in the upper stairway room adjacent the stairway forming an upper storage chamber, the aisle panel of the upper stairway room having an opening leading to said chamber, and a door on the upper stairway room aisle panel for closing the opening.

4. In a railway sleeping car carrying berths, a wheel truck near each end thereof, end loorings overlying the truck, a lower iiooring dependent*LA from the end iloorings extending intermediate the trucks, in a plane below the tops of the truck wheels, an upper iiooring extending longitudinally of the flooring of the car above the lower flooring and portions of the end iioorings, a roei, sideI walls between the roof and the iioorings, spaced panels extending lengthwise of the floorings and forming center aisles and side spaces substantially the full length thereof, transverse walls dividing the entire length of the side spaces between the aisle panels and the car side walls into rooms, the rooms on the upper and lower iioorings containing berths and of a length slightly greater than the length of the berths therein, a stairway leading from the upper center aisle in oneA of the rooms toward the adjacent car side walland continuingy along the car side wall downwardly in the room thereunder, a hallway in the room adjacent the bottom of the stairway leading to the aisle, panels in the lower room housing the stairway and with the stairway forming a storage chamber, the aisle panel adjacent said storage chamber having an opening therein, and a door on the lower aisle panel for closing said opening.

5. In a railway sleeping car` carrying berths, a wheel truck near each end thereof, a roof, side walls, end floorings over the trucks, a lower flooring dependent from the end iioorings and having a horizontal portion extending between the trucks, an upper ilooring extending longitudinally of the car in a horizontal plane above the lower iiooring and a portion of the end oorings, panels between the lower and upper oorings forming a center aisle and side spaces, panels between the roof and the end and upper floorings forming a center aisle and side spaces extending substantially the` full length ofthe car, bulkheads across the ends of the horizontal portion of the lower flooring and adjacent the outer ends of the end oorings, steps between the ends of the upper aisle and the end flooring aisles, transverse panels dividing substantially the entire length of the side spaces between the bulkheads into rooms, the rooms on the upper and lower iloorings containing berths and of a length slightly greater than the length of the berths therein, and a stairway connecting an upper and lower room midway of the car forming the only means for passengers to enter and leave the lower flooring.

6. In a railway sleeping car carrying berths, a wheel truck near each end, a roof, side walls, end iioorings over the trucks, a lower flooring de pendent from the end iioorings and having a horizontal portion between the trucks in a plane adjacent the bearing portions of the truck wheels, an upper flooring extending longitudinally in spaced relation above the lower flooring and a portion of the end iioorings, panels forming center and side spaces substantially the entire length of the loorings, transverse walls throughout the length of the side spaces between the side panels and the side walls forming rooms, bulkheads at the ends of the horizontal portion of the lower flooring having openings in line with the lower flooring aisle, doors closing the openings in thebulkheads. and accessible from the lower aisle,y

some of the rooms between the bulkheads and the ends of the upper flooring forming storageV chambers for car equipment and the other rooms carrying berths, the sleeping rooms on the end'v iloorings and the rooms on the upper and` lower iioorings carrying berths and such rooms being' of slightly greater length than the berths, and.

steps leading from the endsrofv the upper flooring aisle to the aisles of the end.' iloorings and from the center of the upper flooring to the lower:

flooring.

7. In a railway sleeping car carrying berths a wheel truck near each end, a roof, side walls, end.

floorings over the trucks, a lower iioor dependent from the end floorings and having ahorizontal portion between the trucks in a plane adjacent the bearing portions of the truck wheels, an upperl iooring extending longitudinally in spaced rela-` tion above the lower iiooring and a portion of the end iloorings, bulkheads across the ends of thehorizontal portion of the lower ooring and adjacent the outer ends of the end floorings; the spaces between the lower bulkheads and the ends, of the upper ooring forming equipment storage chambers, aisle forming spaced panels extending longitudinally of the car between the upper and the lower bulkheads, transverse panels throughout the length of the spaces betweenthe aisle panels, the car sides and the bulkheads deiining rooms, such transverse panels closing the end of the storage chambers at each side of the ends of the upper flooring, the rooms on the upper and lower iioorings containing berths and of a length slightly greater than the length of the berths therein, and removable steps between the ends of the upper iiooring aisle andthe end iiooring aisles closing the space between the transverse panels at the ends of the chambers.

8. In a railway sleeping car carrying berths, a wheel Vtruck near each end, a roof, side walls, end fioorings over the trucks, a lower iioor dependent from the end oorings and having a horizontal portion between the trucks in a plane adjacent the bearing portions of the truck wheels, an upper flooring extending longitudinally in spaced relation above the lower flooring and a portion of the end iioorings, bulkheads across the ends of horizontal portion of the lower flooring having central openings therein, doors closing the openings in the bulkheads and accessible from the space between the bulkheads, the spaces between the bulkheads and the ends of the upper flooring forming storage chambers for car equipment, steps between the upper iiooring and the lower flooring intermediate the bulkheads, spaced panelsY extending longitudinally the entire length of the horizontal portion of the lower ilooring and substantially the entire length of the upper and end oorings forming center aisles and side spaces, transverse walls throughout the length of the spaces between the car side walls and the aisle panels forming rooms, the rooms on the upper and lower floorings containing berths and of a length slightly greater than the length of the berths therein, and removable steps leading from the ends of the upper aisle to the end flooring aisles, the chambers being accessible through the opening between the ends of the upper ooring and the lower flooring when the steps are removed.

9. In a railway sleeping car carrying berths, a wheel truck near each end thereof, end floorings overlying the trucks, a depressed flooring between the trucks connected with the end oorings, a longitudinally extending upper flooring in a plane above and overlying portions of the end oorings, a roof, side Walls, longitudinally extending panels between the end and upper floorings and the roof providing center aisles and side spaces substantially the full length of the floorings, transverse walls throughout the length of the side spaces dening rooms, the rooms on the upper and lower oorings containing berths and of a length slightly greater than the length of the berths therein, steps between the ends of the upper flooring aisle and the end flooring aisles, one end room on one side of an end ooring aisle being adapted to receive luggage and the end room across the aisle from the luggage room being adapted to accommodate a porter, the aisle panels for the baggage and porter rooms having openings therein beyond the adjacent steps, and a door for the opening in the panel of the porters room.

10. In a sleeping car carrying berths, a wheel truck near each end, floorings over the trucks, a flooring extending longitudinally of the car in a plane above and overlying a portion of the end floorings, a roof, car side walls, spaced panels extending longitudinally substantially the entire length oi the oorings forming aligned center aisles and side spaces, transverse walls dividing the spaces between the aisle panels and the car sides into room spaces, the rooms on the upper and lower oorings containing berths and of a length slightly greater than the length of the berths therein, an end room being for use by the porter, a transverse panel in the room space next to the porters room forming a closet space, the transverse panel of the porters room adjacent the closet space having an opening therein, and a door for closing the opening and accessible only from the porters room.

11. In a sleeping car carrying berths, a wheel truck near each end, floorings above the trucks, a fiooring extending longitudinally of the car in a plane above and overlying a portion of the end oorings, a roof, car side walls, spaced panels extending longitudinally of the oorings forming aligned center aisles and side spaces substan tially the full length of the car, transverse walls dividing the side spaces into room spaces, the rooms on the upper and lower oorings containing berths and of a length slightly greater than the length of the berths therein, an end room on the end flooring being for use by the porter, a transverse panel in the room space next to the porters room forming a closet space, the transverse panel of the porters room adjacent the closet space having an opening therein, a ceiling in the porters room and over the closet space forming an upper storage chamber, the transverse panel forming the closet extending to the roof and having an opening therein for access to the upper chamber from the room space adjacent the porters room, end doors for closing the openings in the transverse panels.

12. In a sleeping car, carrying berths, a wheel truck near each end, loorings over the trucks, a flooring extending longitudinally of the car in a plane above and overlying a portion of the end iloorings, a roof, car side walls, spaced panels extending longitudinally substantially the full length of the oorings forming aligned center aisles and side spaces, transverse walls dividing the side spaces into room spaces, one of the end room spaces on the end flooring being equipped for luggage and the space adjacent thereto being equipped for a passenger, the rooms on the upper and lower iioorings containing berths and of a length slightly greater than the length of the berths therein, a ceiling over the luggage room forming a storage chamber thereabove, said .transverse panel intermediate said rooms having ""an opening for access to the chamber, and a door on said panel for closing the opening therein and accessible from the passenger room.

13. In a railway sleeping car carrying berths, side walls, a roof, end wheel trucks, end floorings over the trucks, upper fiooring intermediate and overlying a portion of the end rloorings, a bulkhead adjacent the outer end of each end flooring, spaced panels extending longitudinally of the loorngs between the bulkheads forming center aisles and side spaces, and transverse walls throughout the length or the longitudinal side spaces of the upper and end flcorings forming rooms along both sides of and substantially the entire length or the car, the rooms on the upper flooring and some of the rooms on the end oorings carrying berths and being slightly greater in length than the berths.

OTTO A. KHLER. WILLIAM E. BURNETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 487,918 Fordham Dec. 18, 1892 654,926 State July 31, 1900 1,174,703 Flagg Mar. 7, 1916 1,673,682 Hulse June 12, 1928 1,724,149 Self Aug. 13, 1929 2,000,550 Woodward May 7, 1935 2,143,827 Demarest Jan. 10, 1939 2,285,933 Ledwinka et al. June 9, 1942 2,405,136 Dittrich Aug. 6, 1946 

